Baby teeth are important
and need proper care. These teeth help your child to eat and speak properly. There
are several problems that affect the oral health of children, including tooth
decay, thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, lip sucking, and early tooth loss. Though
the baby teeth are replaced with permanent teeth, keeping baby teeth healthy is
important to a child's overall health and well-being.
To
have a little smile on your baby face start following-
- Start brushing the baby teeth as soon as
they come through the gums
- Brush twice a day with a smear of fluoride
toothpaste and a soft brush
- Choose healthy, tooth friendly snacks
- Avoid giving soft drinks and sugary,
sticky snacks
- Lift your child's lip every month to check
for signs of tooth decay
- Enroll your child at a dental clinic and
have regular dental check-ups.
Baby
Bottle Tooth Decay
Baby bottle tooth decay which
is also called early childhood caries and nursing bottle syndrome and nursing
caries which happens when a baby's teeth are in frequent contact with sugars
from drinks, such as fruit juices, milk, formula, fruit juice diluted with
water, sugar water, or any other sweet drink.
Teething
When they are teething, some
babies get sore gums. They get restless or irritable, and they might start
sleeping or feeding badly. Sometimes this may lead to problems digesting food
or to loose stools.
Oral
health tips for babies and toddlers
- Breastfeeding is best for babies
- Don’t put baby to sleep with a bottle
- From 6 months of age children can start to
drink from a cup
- Water is the best drink for toddlers
- Plain milk is a healthy drink choice
- Babies and toddlers don't need fruit juice
or sweet drinks
- Healthy meals and snacks are important for
healthy teeth
- Start cleaning baby’s teeth when they
appear (6 months)
- Children should have an oral health
assessment by 2 years of age
- Oral health is important for the whole
family
